Foot-operated door openers are known.
DE 101 13 865 A1 discloses a device for opening a door, in particular in wet rooms, whereby an actuating element used for actuation by the foot is provided in the door, and the actuating element is designed as a rod which protrudes from the door.
EP 1 048 811 A1 discloses in particular a door opening system which is equipped with a foot switch that is situated next to the door, whereby an actuator rod directly engages with a door opening mechanism.
WO 02/31297 A1 discloses a door opening mechanism which converts a translational movement, due to a step by the foot, into a rotational movement of a member which directly engages with a door opening mechanism.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,193,863 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,569,546 disclose a foot-operated door opener which is situated on the door in a flap-like manner, so that actuation by placing a foot on a plate-shaped or rotatable foot tread element causes an actuator rod to undergo a translational movement, so that the door may be opened by engagement with an opening mechanism of the door.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,621,848 discloses a foot-operated door opener in which a user may actuate a pedal-shaped foot-operated element which protrudes from the door, and a translational movement from top to bottom results in engagement with an opening mechanism of the door via an actuator rod, by means of which the door may be opened.
DE 10 2010 035 554 A1 discloses a foot-operated door opener having a foot-operated actuator element for opening the door situated on the lower region of the door, the foot-operated actuator element having an upper and a lower foot tread element which are connected to one another in an articulated manner, and which in each case at least partially pivot into the interior of the door upon actuation by the foot.
These foot-operated door opening devices known from the prior art, with the exception of the latter-mentioned one, share the common feature that on the one hand they allow a relatively rough, imprecise opening of the door by means of a foot, and on the other hand are associated with a certain potential for injury during operation due to somewhat cumbersome geometries. Although these problems are solved for the most part in the latter-mentioned device, in practice it has been found that the possibility for even more precise opening of the door is desirable.